By Zweli Martin Dlamini
Africa-Press – Eswatini. Thabile Tfwala is a relative of King Mswati’s mother Queen Ntombi Tfwala and an employee of the King’s Office situated at Lozitha Palace.
During the recent King’s birthday,Thabile Tfwala was among a few privileged guests who had the opportunity to take pictures with the Queen Mother and/or the King.
Thabile went on to pose for pictures inside the glittering Lozitha Mandvulo Hall decorated with gold.
Mandvulo Hall is a product of cheap labour in a country where about 70% of the population lives below the poverty line.
In 2010, workers who constructed the Royal Hall once tried to take the King’s Office to court,demanding terminal benefits and injury on duty compensation but,their efforts were vain as the project had the name of the King who is above the law.
The glittering of the Mandvulo Hall is situated in a sea of poverty, a collapsed health and education system with the Government relying heavily, on foreign aid and/or donations to fund social programs.
Beneath the royal gold glittering, some employees of the State owned entities are regularly told to be patient as their salaries might be delayed.
The tiny Kingdom marred by rampant corruption and a culture of impunity, is ruled by Mswati as an absolute Monarch, the King and those around him are immune to prosecution.
Eswatini Prime Minister Russell Dlamini recently stopped the Anti Corruption Commission(ACC) from arresting Betram Steward, the Principal Secretary(PS) in his Office who stands accused of looting over R20million COVID-19 public and donated monies.
Law enforcement agencies are restricted from arresting those around the King including the powerful and politically connected but instead,weaponized against those who are critical of the King’s ruling Tinkhundla corrupt regime.
Parliament is also restricted from demanding accountability of public funds from the King and companies linked to royalty.
Journalists are not allowed to question those in power on allegations of wrongdoing, those who dare are arrested or forced into exile, it’s a country ruled through the law of the jungle.
Recently, State owned and private companies presented over R6million to Mswati as a birthday gift while kidney failure patients die at the Raleigh Fitkin Memorial(RFM), nurses later downed tools on Wednesday in demand for unpaid salaries.
While the Lozitha Palace Mandvulo Hall is glittering, it is situated in middle of the sea of poverty, more citizens are struggling to afford basic necessities of life.
Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini recently told nurses to migrate to other countries overseas amid the collapsed health system.
Source: swazilandnews
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